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Your Guide to a Greener Kitchen
A compilation of information
By Duane Taylor
If you think your home is a sanctuary where you can escape the stress and pollution from the modern world we all live in, you may be a little suprised to find that your home could be the most toxic place of all. Toxins around the home can come from many sources such as mould, cigarette smoke, chemicals used in building materials, carpets and furniture that continue to off-gas into the air once inside your home.
Hidden under the kitchen sink you will find some of the most toxic and nasty chemicals in your cleaning products that may be putting you and your family at risk. Changing carpet and furniture would be an expensive exercise, but switching to more natural cleaning products can be immediate, inexpensive and potentially save you from being exposed to these nasty chemicals.
Triclosan is the most commonly found anti-bacterial chemical found in hand wash, dishwashing liquid, laundry powder, dish cloths, surface sprays and even body wash. This obsession with cleanliness is fed by manufacturers using fear tactics to sell their products rather than a concern for your health. The overuse of the chemical Triclosan is now contributing to a growing number of people being resistant to antibiotics which is a concern to the medical profession.
Triclosan also reacts with chlorine in our water supply producing significant amounts of chloroform which you then inhale. Chloroform is classified by the American Environmental Protection Agency as a probable human carcinogen, or cancer causing substance.
Most of us have been conditioned to associate clean with a smell, whether it's bleach, laundry powder, fabric softener or air freshener when actually clean should have no smell. In fact air fresheners are often the culprits for those headaches, brain fog or that irritating cough that won't go away. Air fresheners can contain up to 40% formaldehyde, a potent respiratory irritant that should be avoided by anyone prone to chest infections, asthma or respiratory problems.
If you want to create an ambient smell in your home without harming your health, try pure essential oils in a vaporiser or soy candles. If you're pregnant or planning on starting a family, it's the perfect time to review your cleaning products. A natural spray for your kitchen can be as simple as filling an empty spray bottle with white vinegar and another with 3% hydrogen peroxide (available from your pharmacy). This can be sprayed over kitchen benches, sinks and cutting boards. Spraying with vinegar and followed by hydrogen peroxide is more lethal to bacteria than either used alone. Undiluted vinegar will kill 82% of mould and about 99% of bacteria and it's much cheaper than your average anti-bacterial spray.
For those that don't want to make their own products, I was recommended the Method range of cleaning products by a friend and they are all non-toxic and can be found at Coles and Woolworths for around $6.
DIY Natural Non-toxic Cleaning Products
White Vinegar - cuts through grease, disinfects and removes stains. The smell will disappear once dry.
Baking Soda - all purpose, non-toxic cleaner that acts as a mild abrasive for surface cleaning, deoderises and removes stains.
Lemon Juice - a natural alternative to bleach.
Corn Starch - absorbs grease and oil.
Essential Oils - anti-bacterial and impart a pleasant natural fragrance to your cleaning products. Don't use "fragrant oils" as they are synthetic.
Did You Know?
55% of Australian households have a clothes dryer
A 5-Star front loading washing machine uses about 50 litres of water per wash compared to 140 litres per wash for a 1-Star top-loader
Your fridge uses more energy in a year than any other appliance, being responsible for about 13% of the average electricity bill
Compact fluorescent bulbs use about 20-25% of the energy of an incandescent bulb and last 4-10 times longer
A 2005 study of Australian homes found that appliances on stand-by account for almost 11% of residential power consumption. This costs residents $950 million each year and generates an estimated 6.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gases
A 1,500 watt hairdryer used for 15 minutes every day will consume enough energy in a year to run a 60 watt light bulb 24 hours a day for 2 years
731,500 computers are dumped in landfill each year in Australia
A 4-Star toilet saves the average household 1000-1500 litres of water each year
A colour TV on stand-by consumes 24% of the energy used when the TV is fully on
A typical ducted air-conditioner costs $265 to run per year. Compare that to $18 each year for 6 ceiling fans
For more great tips on green living, check out my favourite magazine called G Magazine - available from newsagencies, Coles and most independent supermarkets or www.gmagazine.com.au
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